Size Matters...

 

I don't often give a "reader warning" regarding content.  This post is all about guitars.  Well, a little bit about buying an expensive guitar without having any comprehension regarding the specifications, specifically the size and scale length of a guitar that is advertised as being a 3/4 size.

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There was some discussion on my carbon fiber guitar forum this morning, with a participant asking about a McPherson Touring (a small CF acoustic guitar) vs an Emerald X20; trying to decide which one to buy.

Those are very different guitars, especially in size.  The discussion, as usual, talked about price.  The going price on a McPherson Touring is $2999.  Someone wrote "that is a lot of money for a small guitar."  I had to dust off my soap box.

 That is the Sable on the left, the Touring on the right.  ^^

My response to that price discussion:  "That said, I appreciate smaller guitars and not just for travel. My previous generation X7 is still one of my favorites... OK, you got me, they're all my favorites. But, I like the shorter scale. And the comfort. When people say that it sounds smaller... well, yeah: physics. But I've always found my smaller guitars are enough. And when plugged in, that isn't an issue.

And while we're on the subject of smaller guitars and cost... smaller doesn't necessarily mean it costs much less to produce. The labor is the same. The things you put on/in the guitar, like tuners and pick ups, are the same. The material difference is pretty minimal. I understand why quality guitars like McPherson or Emerald cost what they do. Yet, people expect a smaller guitar to be significantly less expensive.

Two years ago, you could by a new Touring for $2699 at pretty much any dealer. Today, they all seem to be around that $2999 mark. Inflation.  And a Sable is $3799. Carbon fiber material isn't cheap, but there isn't $800 worth of materials difference in those two guitars.

We used to own a photography studio. The difference in materials cost between a 5x7 and an 8x10 was about 30¢... but people expected the cost of the 5x7 to be half that of the 8x10. Perception. A friend of mine put it this way: "If I told you I just bought a Rembrandt painting, would you ask me 'What size?'."

There is value in each size guitar. These days, my largest guitar is a Taylor 814. It gets less playing time than my other guitars. But, when I play it, I really appreciate the tone. But I pick up my X7 far more often than the 814; because it is more comfortable and I appreciate the smaller scale."

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The guy on that forum discussion received his Touring today.  He was not happy.  It was a demo (he got 10% off for that) and the strings were not in good shape (you can replace strings for $15 or less).  And, in his words: "The guitar was too small to be comfortable."  He took it back to a local Guitar Center (they accept returns from Guitar Center online purchases), and immediately ordered the larger McPherson guitar, the Sable.  I guess he didn't look at the specifications for the Touring.  Hey, it is a small guitar... but, it sounds much bigger than the size would have you believe.

I have played both of those McPherson models.  They are both very nice.  Between those two, I actually prefer the sound, feel, and playability of the smaller Touring model.  To each their own.